Overview
- President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe covering the Ñuble and Biobío regions.
- About 50,000 residents were told to seek safety, according to Public Security Minister Luis Cordero.
- Government figures on fatalities diverged, with AFP citing at least 15 deaths and the interior minister earlier reporting two.
- Firefighters and soldiers battled multiple blazes, with reports ranging from 14 to 24 active fires.
- The forestry service estimated nearly 100 square kilometers burned and more than 250 homes destroyed, with damage reaching parts of Concepción.